When is it okay to quit a thread?

[thestruggle]

I love that stuff! I just had the green apple yesterday!

I like black licorice, actually. But I don't usually tell people because then they think I'm OK only getting the black jelly beans and gum drops and so forth.

It's great! It's the perfect texture. Now I want some. And I just can't get there with black licorice. The flavor's just too strong, which is weird, because most of the time I like really present flavors. Maybe it's a thing like cilantro or something. That would also suck, to have to be a closet candy-liker. I like coconut, so I get a lot of, "I saved the coconut ones for you!" in chocolate. But I think that's more widespread than black licorice.

They eat tons of it over here!

Weird! Maybe it's a cultural thing. I also am not a fan of ouzo but I can tolerate that enough to drink a toast or something. My friend's family is Greek so that's actually been more of an issue than it sounds...

Do they eat it in just plain candy? Or is anise a popular flavoring?

 

[Britwitch]

Weird! Maybe it's a cultural thing. I also am not a fan of ouzo but I can tolerate that enough to drink a toast or something. My friend's family is Greek so that's actually been more of an issue than it sounds...

Do they eat it in just plain candy? Or is anise a popular flavoring?

Usually just 'plain' although you can get it in almost anything! Even ice cream!
But the really popular kind here is salted liquorice.

 

[Niceandbrutal]

The development on this thread has been... interesting.

 

[Britwitch]

The development on this thread has been... interesting.

As frequently happens around here.

winks

But to go back to your original question...I know that if I feel my ability to post to the level my co-writer deserves disappears then I'm tempted to withdraw, be that through lack of inspiration, lack of time or lack of connection to the character.

If you have the right chemistry with a co-writer, time doesn't really become a factor. M13 and I wrote a thread over several years including a gap of nigh on a year in the middle but neither of us felt the thread was done...until it was done.

grins

Manners cost nothing and if you're feeling that you can't go on, then PM your partner and say...never know...a bit of brainstorming might be what you both need.

I do understand the frustration though if you're waiting for a post and your partner is posting to every thread but the one you share. If they've said they're having issues with it then that's fine but without a word, then that can be annoying.

 

[Miss_Vivi]

I read the whole thread. Vail, Tess.. awesome.

Now.. when is it okay to quit a thread? When you want to, and feel like it's time, or the thread is dead. It's your writing, and you'll quit or not when you damn well please. I've lost threads after their first, second and fiftieth post.. it doesn't matter. Some co-writers are worth waiting for, others.. not so much. You make that decision because those are your words, effort and time going into the thread, regardless of what your co-writer says, does, cries, whines, or throws things at you.

After you spend some time here, you see that your threads are always in flux. Sometimes you've got ten, and sometimes, three or none, or you don't feel like writing, or the lounge is blowing up and you're focused on that, or you really want to write something else.

You're here to write, so write and when you don't want to, don't. Just be good enough that your co-writers will wait, work, or eagerly anticipate your word.

Most of mine do.
Except Tess.
Fuck that girl.

Just kidding. I love you Tess, and really typing that out, just made me laugh. Adore you darling!

 

[Niceandbrutal]

I read the whole thread. Vail, Tess.. awesome.

Now.. when is it okay to quit a thread? When you want to, and feel like it's time, or the thread is dead. It's your writing, and you'll quit or not when you damn well please. I've lost threads after their first, second and fiftieth post.. it doesn't matter. Some co-writers are worth waiting for, others.. not so much. You make that decision because those are your words, effort and time going into the thread, regardless of what your co-writer says, does, cries, whines, or throws things at you.

After you spend some time here, you see that your threads are always in flux. Sometimes you've got ten, and sometimes, three or none, or you don't feel like writing, or the lounge is blowing up and you're focused on that, or you really want to write something else.

You're here to write, so write and when you don't want to, don't. Just be good enough that your co-writers will wait, work, or eagerly anticipate your word.

Most of mine do.
Except Tess.
Fuck that girl.

Just kidding. I love you Tess, and really typing that out, just made me laugh. Adore you darling!

But do you tell your co-writer that you want to quit, or do you just walk away?

 

[Miss_Vivi]

But do you tell your co-writer that you want to quit, or do you just walk away?

Depends on the co-writer. When I first started, I walked away or they did. But since then, I've cultivated actual relationships with most of my co-writers, and that makes it easier to both keep them and gauge where the thread is in comparison to both writers.

I had one thread recently where the writer wasn't paying attention to what I was doing, and in that case.. I just walked away. In another, I wasn't playing the female character the way that my co-writer wanted her (fuck that noise) so he ended up trying to compromise and then he ended the thread.

Take each thread and co-writer into consideration, there isn't a one size fits all answer.

 

[Niceandbrutal]

Depends on the co-writer. When I first started, I walked away or they did. But since then, I've cultivated actual relationships with most of my co-writers, and that makes it easier to both keep them and gauge where the thread is in comparison to both writers.

I had one thread recently where the writer wasn't paying attention to what I was doing, and in that case.. I just walked away. In another, I wasn't playing the female character the way that my co-writer wanted her (fuck that noise) so he ended up trying to compromise and then he ended the thread.

Take each thread and co-writer into consideration, there isn't a one size fits all answer.

Hm. More food for thought. Although I'd prefer to PM someone if I ended a thread I can see why you just walked away from that one. I know I'd have liked an explanation if someone just up and left a thread, though.

Yep, I've also had co-writers telling me how to write my character. And I have to agree with you: Fuck that noise.

 

[Blase]

In another, I wasn't playing the female character the way that my co-writer wanted her (fuck that noise) so he ended up trying to compromise and then he ended the thread.

Yep, I've also had co-writers telling me how to write my character. And I have to agree with you: Fuck that noise.

Under most circumstances I'd agree with you both. Once, however, I wrote a detailed intro for a thread that was meant to be all about the female lead's struggle against the situation she found herself in. However, the writer who PMed me and asked to join the thread immediately began playing her character as a total slut, turning the story around 180 degrees and completely negating the introductory post.

I mean, honestly - If you don't like the premise of a thread, either start your own or PM the originator first and ask if they're open to taking things in a different direction.

It was a relief when that particular exercise in frustration fell apart.

 

[prettyserpentine]

I've been involved in a thread for quite a few months now. It was my first foray into RP on this forum. You can imagine my distaste when I was perusing through threads today and found an identically titled one, with an identical premise, identical characters and a blatant lack of regard for any other RPers involved in the original.

Has anyone else experienced such literary and passive insult? I mean, I do my best to breathe life and experience into my characters and the threads I'm involved with. If a thread isn't progressing how I would like, I politely contact my partner and resolve it or dissolve it.

I find myself a little irritated by the disregard with which my time and effort is treated. But then again I suppose it's an ever-present reminder to be even more vigilant with finding suitable partners for RP. It's just a little disheartening.

Sincerely yours, and somewhat vexed,

prettyserpentine

 

[Baelnorn]

Just not worth it...

 

[thestruggle]

To be honest, I don't see the problem here. I'm always original with my scene ideas, but let me play devil's advocate for a second.

Doesn't it highly depend on what sort of scene you're writing? A story of, for example, Emma Watson and Johnny Depp stranded on a desert island after a plane crash only has so much room for name deviations. Or how about a story dealing with the exploits of Elminster and Srinshee? Celebrities or a franchise's established characters take away pretty much all of your naming freedom.

Even if someone starts his or her own thread by copying your premise, so what? Aren't others allowed to write their own version of something you publically posted? Also, in what way does it affect you? Do you have to read that other thread? Does that other thread limit your flexibility or creativity for your own thread in any way? Do the actions and events from that other thread spill over into your own thread? My personal answer is a solid "no" to all these questions.

Not everyone is a creative mastermind regarding scenes and settings. I personally have no objection to others using my scene ideas. Heck, I even pretty much encourage everyone to take the settings I've suggested in the "Seeking RPers" thread and spin up their own versions. I'm curious about how other writers would deal with some of my scenarious and in which direction they'd take the story and characters.

Because thinking of it, what could happen? Worst case, the thread suffers from horrible writing and quickly degenerates into a porn-style wank fest or dies off completely. Best case, I get to read an entertaining take on one of my scenes with interesting plot development, which might give me some additional ideas of my own.

However, verbatim copying of posts (other than perhaps the opening post) is crossing the line, and I can completely understand getting angry at that.

Ok. First, "copying premise" - no. Just no. Inspiration is one thing, deliberately plagiarizing someone's work is another. If anyone ever did this, I would be pretty fucking irritated. I've had my work copied before - someone was taking short stories/poetry from a site I wrote on and copying them on their own page as their own work. It's theft, whether you like to refer to it as that or not. What you are describing is something different from what she stated - it sounds like the people you "encourage" to use your ideas had your consent, or you've just given it here. She has not.

Second, in what way does it affect her? It's her WORK. She's put effort into it, and someone else is profiting from it. This site should be enjoyable and that doesn't sound very enjoyable to me. Create your own ideas or politely ask if you can use someone's work as inspiration. It is not okay to just TAKE, ever.

 

[Scuttle Buttin']

At the very least, it's extraordinarily discourteous.

 

[Baelnorn]

Just not worth it...

 

[thestruggle]

Okay, two things.

First, since we are neither dealing with academia, nor journalism, nor industrial design, I don't think it's worth making a fuzz about someone else copying your idea on this privatly operated, public, sexual roleplaying forum.

Second, you're effectively saying "I've first written an Emma Watson and Johnny Depp are stranded on an island after a plane crash scene, so nobody else is ever allowed to write it again or they are plagiarizing my work!"


That's something entirely different than "taking the same premise and develop their own version of the story from it."


I'm just not raging about it. As I've said, I'm not negatively affected by what other people write about or make of my ideas. On the contrary, their writing may provide feedback on my idea or serve as further inspiration for my own thread and possible other scenes.


Profiting? How is that other person exactly profiting from it? Did I somehow miss the part where I can enter my bank account information to be payed on a per-view base for the threads I writing in this public SRP forum?

Food for thought: did the authors of any franchise used here more or less often (Mass Effect, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Gor, Forgotten Realms, any Marvel comics, any DC comics, Star Trek, Star Wars, any established setting including vampires and/or werewolves, etc...) ever give their permission to have sexualized roleplays based on their works? Those authors have put in a massive part of their lifetime to create wonderful settings. Do you really think they are happy with seeing random dudes on a porn forum writing smut stories about their characters?


I take it you then asked the writers who created the Firefly universe for permission to use their work for this thread?

Alright, dude. It IS worth making a "fuzz" about, because no matter how big or how small, your work is still your work. I was addressing the parts of your argument that I saw problems with - that what you choose to practice and what she chooses to practice are two different things and you do not get to decide what her preference is. And no, that's not what I'm effectively saying. You're deliberately misunderstanding me. Inspiration and plagiarism are two different things, and I think you know that.

Profiting - as in gaining some benefit, because that's all why we're here writing, yes? And here's another question, how the fuck does what she write affect you? Are you actually arguing that you should be allowed to copy her work because you feel like it? What you said, that it gives you new perspective or inspiration - fine, but remember that she put the effort into making that work available for perusal. It's completely disrespectful to disregard her preference, or anyone's preference, without their explicit consent. It's like running into someone's house and taking their artwork and then putting it up in yours, and then when they come to take it back with the cops, you say "But it INSPIRED me."

And actually, Joss Whedon approves of fanfiction. But I personally don't feel all that comfortable writing in his universe, because it's not my creation. As far as inspirations go, you can see from my own ideas that I get them from plenty of works - but they're INSPIRATIONS. They are far from the original content. So while you shift your argument to disagree with me yet again, which is bullshit, you can take that into account. I'm talking about deliberately ignoring consent by taking direct content, as I said before.

 

[Baelnorn]

Just not worth it...

 

[thestruggle]

Yeah, I know that. But do you?

• "First, 'copying premise' - no. Just no."
• "And no, that's not what I'm effectively saying."

How do those two statements from you match up? Because your first statement does exactly that - claim exclusive ownership of any scene you've ever written, and disallow everyone else to ever write something similar to it on charges of plagiarism. Perhaps you could give an example on how you define "premise"? Is "<celebrity1> and <celebrity2> are stranded at <location> after <accident>" the same premise for the same values for <celebrity1> and <celebrity2>? How about "<superhero> is abducted by <supervillain> and held captive at <location>"?

How rough- or fine-grained does the premise have to be in order to get you to allow others to write similar stories? If you consider how much many stories of a certain type can have in common (cf. Joseph Campbell's Monomyth), it may be almost impossible to avoid any similarities. Depending on how you look at it, Star Wars copies quite alot from The Lord of the Rings.


No. I'm writing here as a pastime. What's the benefit of going to the movies? Of playing a game on Steam? Of reading a (non-educational) book? For me, it's a hobby like many others. I'm not doing it with the primary intent of becoming the next Shakespear, or to make lots of online friends, or to get off. If either of those happened as a sideeffect, that's great. But none of that is my driving motivation for being here.


*sigh*

You really missed the difference between "theft" and possible "copyright infringement" here. Taking another author's plot idea and write your own story based on it certainly doesn't match the common definition of theft: "the felonious taking and removing of personal property with intent to deprive the rightful owner of it."

Does your thread suddenly disappear or become locked when someone else starts a thread with the same promise? No? Then you really should stop talking about "theft" in this context. Seriously.


Again, the other member wasn't taking that content away from the original poster. And again, there's a huge difference between:

• taking a finished piece of art or writing and present it as your own
• taking the basic idea of some piece of art or writing and develop your own version

Unless the other members are literally copy each and every single post from your thread, it's not the same. Not even close.

Go read about intellectual property and plagiarism. Then come back and talk to me. What I'm talking about is basic plagiarism. Your post runs in so many circles that it's pretty incomprehensible. If you're just going to cherry-pick and creatively interpret what I'm saying to twist it to your benefit, then I don't think we can have a discussion about this. I don't owe you an explanation for a point that should be clear - what the original poster was addressing. You attacked her post with an attitude of, "I should be able to do this because I want to, even though you're expressly saying no." That's wrong, and trying to cover it up with debates about what plagiarism equates to doesn't change the fact that her complaint was valid and you had no business disagreeing with her. You acted like a bully, even though you were apparently "playing devil's advocate", and no amount of argument excuses that.

 

[Baelnorn]

Just not worth it...

 

[Britwitch]

You know, you're sort of cute when you start posting condescending GIFs instead of actually addressing my points.

But thanks for pointing out my mistakes. From now on I'll be ready to send Lit a DMCA takedown notice when I find out someone dared to use one of my ideas! Can we get a sticky about respecting intellectual property, please?

As amusing as this has been to read. And it has...

Manners cost nothing.

The point here is...if by some chance you were inspired by someone else's story enough to want to write something similar, have the grace or decency or whatever you want to call it to tell them so and ask if they mind you using it as the basis for your own.
They can say yes or no.
You can listen to or ignore their response. All true.
But does that mean you shouldn't ask in the first place?

But just because you don't value your writing as much as others do, doesn't mean you could/should treat other people's ideas as if they were your own personal brainstorm without asking.

Yes, people do it everyday with fanfiction-esque threads but there are fine lines here between the reasonable and the unreasonable, beyond all of which one thing remains true, two wrongs don't make a right. And all that jazz.

And, to be clear, by the word 'you'? I mean the everyday-Lit denizen.

I like to treat others as I'd like to be treated.

shrugs

Maybe that's just me.

 

[SortOfBeautiful]

Meh, I could argue both sides on the subject. Especially because sometimes it really does depend on what kind of story idea you think someone took from you. If it was something specific, then yeah, be a little upset. But if it was something about two people in the apocalypse, eh, maybe your idea wasn't as thought out as you thought it was.

But the least someone could do, as courtesy, is credit you.

Inspired by the story created by so-and-so, something like that.

 

[Miss_Vivi]

You know, you're sort of cute when you start posting condescending GIFs instead of actually addressing my points.

Would you say this to a dude?

If this is the best comeback you could possibly muster, calling attention to her gender as if that's some sort of reason that you're wrong?

Then you're probably wrong.

But thanks for pointing out my mistakes. From now on I'll be ready to send Lit a DMCA takedown notice when I find out someone dared to use one of my ideas! Can we get a sticky about respecting intellectual property, please?

Hey look! You did the hard work for us!

Look, darling. You're wrong. And not just a little, like a lot. It's all well and good for you to say that you "encourage others" in a copyleft mentality, but some of us people, you know.. actually write here. Pouring hours into each meticulous post, Tess is among the best actually, to say that we don't have intellectual property over own words is the same as telling an artist that their creation doesn't mean anything cause it's now on Tumblr!

It's true that larger franchises open themselves up to fanfiction, but that's because it's a franchise and there are.. say it with me.. FANS of it, and at that point it's relatively easy to trace it back to the source material. But on here, when someone copies your ideas, your characters, and posits the thread as their own, with no real way to trace the source material... it's theft.

It's so cute when you're wrong. Now go sit in the corner while the adults talk.
Thanks sweetie.

Oh! And darling? It's Shakespeare. Next time you want to hand the smackdown to someone try to get the spelling right. Okay, darling? I would hate for you to get your ass handed to you by a little girl.. oh wait.

Too late.

 

[Scuttle Buttin']

You know, you're sort of cute when you start posting condescending GIFs instead of actually addressing my points.

But thanks for pointing out my mistakes. From now on I'll be ready to send Lit a DMCA takedown notice when I find out someone dared to use one of my ideas! Can we get a sticky about respecting intellectual property, please?

Weird, I saw a bunch of words in her post that you didn't acknowledge. You might want to check your browser, maybe clear your cookies or something.

Also, being a misogynist just makes you look like an infected dickhole. Stop that.

 

[Baelnorn]

Just not worth it...

 

[prettyserpentine]

I feel I should point out that the thread I originally was annoyed by wasn't plagiarised or pirated or stolen. The originator disappeared for several months, leaving those of us who were already writing to carry on. He reappeared a couple of weeks back, and was in satisfied by the direction the thread had taken, so he restarted it. I logged on and noticed the new thread, complete with other writers who had also participated in the old one, and was merely irked because no one had let us know it was being remade.

I had to message the guy to find out his intentions, and the abandonment of the previous thread as no one had mentioned it to me. Needless to say, I'll not be participating in further RP in the older thread. Nor the new, as I felt my input in the original to have been slighted.

Anyway, I was just venting. I hope I haven't started anything. There's a lot of great ideas out there, great stories and great writers that I love both reading and writing with.

I feel bad that my initial post has led to such animosity and people just plain being mean and disregarding the respect we all deserve.

 

[Baelnorn]

Just not worth it...